Stars May Collide
by CurleyEM
Summary: What happens to Christian after the curtain closes at the end of Moulin Rouge? Perhaps the same thing that happens to all Ewan's characters when their films are through.(now complete)
1. Untill My Dying Day

Stars May Collide  
  
  
  
-Until My Dying Day-  
  
  
  
"The end."  
  
Christian sat back, a new wave of emotions swept over him.  
  
It was done, he had poured his soul, cried his eyes, a wracked his brain. All at tremendous effort on his part to not fall apart, but now he could rest.  
  
He lifted the final page out of the typewriter and placed it on the now finished stack with the rest. He had fulfilled his promise, Satine would be happy.  
  
"Satine", suddenly that name brought the ever-true words to his ears, he closed his eyes.  
  
"The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return"  
  
Christian's eyes snapped open, something was odd. He didn't think those words, he heard them. There was music coming from somewhere. He turned around and felt a wash of bright white light pass through him.  
  
Suddenly, he was back at the Moulin Rouge, watching the curtains close and the lights dim. What was Satie doing there?  
  
Something was happening that shouldn't. Was he hallucinating? What is going on?  
  
Again the blinding light spread its warmth throughout him and he was taken to another place. This time he did not know where.  
  
Had he died? Was this heaven? If so, was his love here waiting for him?  
  
He looked around, all he saw was a desk with a man sitting at it in a brown uniform.  
  
As Christian approached the desk he saw something familiar in the way this man looked. He was strikingly similar to himself, only with lighter hair, and maybe a bit younger.  
  
The man spoke up, he was American but his voice was also very familiar. "Hi, there. You must be Christian. I'm Martin. Now, you must be wondering where you are, am I right?"  
  
Christian nodded. "Is this Heaven? Am I dead?"  
  
Martin smiled "Ah, the usual questions. Well my friend, you're not dead, but the thing is you were never "alive" in the first place."  
  
Christian's eyes narrowed and a confused look spread over his face. What was this man talking about, how could I have never been alive in the first place? "What do you mean?" he asked.  
  
Martin took out a clipboard and pen and handed them to Christian. "Yes, well, that will all be explained to you in good time. For now, however, could you please sign your name here next to Moulin Rouge."  
  
  
  
Christian scanned the paper he was given, it was a list but what did all these names mean? He guessed they were titles of books because his was called Moulin Rouge but he had never heard of any of the others. The one right above his own was called Eye of the Beholder and signed next to it was The Eye. Was that a pen name?  
  
Martin took back the clipboard after Christian had signed it and placed it on the desk. He then rang a bell and a man appeared in a bright yellow and black striped jacket. "Right, now you are all set to go, Mr. Leeson will show you around."  
  
The man in the jacket put out his hand, he also bore an amazing resemblance to Christian. "Hi there, my name is Nick and I'm going to help you find your way around."  
  
Christian shook his hand a bit hesitantly. "I'm afraid I still don't know what's going on. Where am I?"  
  
Nick laughed. "So Martin wouldn't tell you eh? I guess he figures he better take this watch duty seriously after he goofed off on his last one."  
  
Christian gave him a puzzled look. "Sorry?"  
  
Nick slapped him on the back. "Don't worry, you'll learn all about everyone here soon enough. Now follow me."  
  
Christian did as he was told and followed Nick out a door that seemed to appear out of the emptiness of the bright white room. The next sight that caught his eyes was something extraordinary. There were many more people in this next room that all looked almost just like him. He didn't know what was going on.  
  
Nick turned to him. "Christian, I'd like you to meet your fellow characters."  
  
Christian looked back at him. "Characters? What do you mean?"  
  
One of the other men in the room with a camera in his hand stepped forward. "Can I tell him?"  
  
Nick gestured him forward. "Go ahead Eye."  
  
Eye smiled. "Thanks."  
  
He turned to Christian. "Well Christian, bare with me because I'm a little new at this idea as well but let me try. All the people here are characters from movies that a single actor has played." He looked up at Nick who nodded and encouraged him to continue. He turned back to Christian, "After the movie is finished, the character comes to this place of limbo in case they are ever needed again. Most of us, however, will not be, because usually sequels aren't made out of our types of films. However, I know for a fact that Obi-wan over there has another two films to do before he is done. He got lucky and was signed to a big director."  
  
A man in a long brown robe raised a strange glowing sword. "It wasn't luck that helped me Eye the spy. It was all the force!"  
  
The Eye rolled his eyes at Christian. "With him it's always the force."  
  
Christian wasn't paying any attention, though, he was still trying to take in all that he has been told. "Are you saying that all I experienced, all the pain I had to endure, that was for nothing? I never existed and nothing I hold dear is true?!"  
  
A skinny, sickly man who, out of all those present, looked the least like Christian, stepped forward. "I know exactly where you are coming from mate. I went through hell, and finally thought I was going to be able to make something of my life, when I was put here. I was just as upset as you are."  
  
An other Scottish man piped up. He had longer hair than most of the others and he looked to be about the youngest. "I agree with Rents over here. I had just come into a sizeable amount of money that was no easy task to get away from my roommates, when I arrived, and I was not pleased."  
  
Christian didn't want to believe what he was being told. He had found meaning in his life with Satine, and after she seemed to be lost forever, he had found it again in his book and his promise. Now that is being taken away as well, but he would not go down without a fight. He pledged to himself that he would not give up his reality or Satine so easily.  
  
  
  
  
  
(Not quite the ending I was going for in this first chapter, but I wanted to get this up so I could motivate myself to finish it. So far it has been sitting, taking up space on my hard drive and I need to get the ball rolling. More to come soon, hopefully) 


	2. No Mountain too High

-No Mountain Too High-  
  
  
  
The days went by and Christian slowly became adjusted to his surroundings. There wasn't much to learn, though, as there was only the big room where he was greeted when he arrived and the rooms of the other characters, located along a long, white hallway.  
  
Christian never saw much of the other characters after the first day. They all went about living their lives in the small world that they now call home. Christian settled into his room, which looked identical to his garret, with the view to the Moulin Rouge itself, but something was odd about it. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, it just didn't feel like home, it wasn't real, and he didn't like it. Everyday he would wake up to the turning sails of the Moulin Rouge, knowing he could never see his love again. No sound came from his window, not even the song of Satine's bird, there was absolutely no life other than his own. He yearned for Toulouse to come and tell him everything would be ok, but he knew that could never happen. It was so unfair to have to live in what seemed like his home, yet outside his door was a world unfamiliar to him.  
  
He hardly ever left his room except to welcome the newest of the characters, a ranger in the US army named Grimes, and to see off Obi Wan. The other characters were very excited to see him leave as no one else had ever had the chance. He eventually returned, though, with a new outfit and a beard. Christian hated leaving his room, it always brought him back to the harsh realization that nothing was real.  
  
A few people came to visit in the beginning, they all introduced themselves and asked how he was doing. Christian never responded positively, he still refused to forget his life. An Irish poet named James came to visit him a few times. He knew where Christian was coming from and tried to, with himself as an example, show him that he can adjust.  
  
"It took me a long time to get over Nora" James told him "but you have to move beyond Satine if you ever want to be happy again."  
  
"But I've already gotten over Satine before" Christian told him "Now I'm being asked to get over my life as well. I could never be happy here in this…this artificial room, with images of my former life taunting me. Reminding me of how happy I once was."  
  
"Christian, you can't go on like this." James argued, "There have been some in the past who have tried to fight the transition, refused to forget, but in the end they realized that they couldn't keep living like that. I know you don't want to, but you have to move on."  
  
"I'm sorry James," Christian replied with tears in his eyes "but you have to go. I, I know you mean well, but I can never do what you are asking. Please...please tell everyone not to come here anymore. I can't talk to them. I need to be alone with my thoughts, and with my memories."  
  
"Christian, you…" James protested, but Christian stopped him.  
  
"Goodbye James."  
  
James stood for a moment, not sure if he should leave, but the pain in Christian's eyes made it very clear that no amount of arguing would change his mind. "I'm sorry Christian." And with that James left the room.  
  
For weeks following Christian's last conversation, he hardly moved. He sank back into his dark world of post-Satine depression, The only light being the sparkling glow of the Green Fairy, Christian's sole visitor now. She seemed to be the only element of his former life that was unchanged. She taunted him, reminded him of the way things used to be. "You were happy Christian." She told him. "I know!" he yelled back at her "but what can I do about it now? It's gone forever, and all I have left is my memories and my pain." "You can be happy again" she replied, and with that she fluttered over to his typewriter. "Remember Christian, the greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." She winked, and was gone.  
  
Christian didn't know what to make of her strange exit. It seemed so long ago he sat and typed those words. Maybe the Green Fairy thought that typing would get him through this, as it had gotten him through the death of Satine. He had no reason not to trust her, after all, when was the last time an absinthe induced hallucination steered him wrong? Slowly Christian got out of bed and walked over to the table by the window. He stood there for a moment, and looked out at the empty streets below, longing to hear the familiar sounds of Montmatre. Then he eased himself down into his chair and took a piece of paper off the pile to his left. With a deep breath he placed it in the typewriter. He would write their story again, then he would be able to relive it whenever he wanted, and escape from his desperation to be alive.  
  
His hands instantly went to where they were supposed to be. They knew what to type with out Christian, and before he even thought, he was already typing.  
  
"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return."  
  
Suddenly from nowhere someone spoke, "Yes".  
  
Christian stopped and turned around. What was that? "Is there someone there?" he questioned the room, but no one replied. He slowly turned back to his typewriter. Something had changed, he couldn't see what it was, but he felt different. He dismissed it and began typing again.  
  
"The Moulin Rouge, a night club, a dance hall and a bordello. Ruled over by Harold Zidler, a kingdom of nighttime pleasures."  
  
His fingers flew over the keys and with every word he became more and more excited. He thought he heard laughter but he ignored it as he became totally engrossed by his writing.  
  
"They called her "The Sparkling Diamond" and she was the star of the Moulin Rouge."  
  
"Christian!"  
  
Christian spun around. He had heard Satine, he was sure it was she. He stood up. "Satine?" he called. He went to the window and instead of finding Satine he found her bird.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
(What could this be? Something real from the past world of Christian appears out of nowhere. A companion to help him through his pain or on his way?) 


	3. No River Too Wide

-No River Too Wide-  
  
  
  
Christian picked up the cage and the bird rustled and flapped its wings. It was the most beautiful sight Christian had ever seen. But how can this be true? He brought the bird in and hung it on a hook by the window. He had never been so happy to see another living creature.  
  
He sat back down at his typewriter with his eye still on the cage. In the back of his mind a fear was ever growing that it would just disappear. He was glad to have a companion finally, but he had no idea how it was possible. All he knew was that there was something special about when he typed. It made him feel the happiest he had felt since Satine was alive, and he needed that now more than ever. He placed his hands over the keys and began again.  
  
"The woman I loved is dead."  
  
Christian was again swept up in his story. Moving forward with more and more energy seemingly unable to stop.  
  
"He was quickly joined by a dwarf dressed as a nun."  
  
At this moment from the direction of the door came the sound of Toulouse's voice, "How do you do?"  
  
Christian's head snapped around, but Toulouse was not there. In that fleeting moment he was sure that his friend had come to help him at last, but his senses must have deceived him. However, there was something by the door. It was Toulouse's cane. Had that always been there? Christian was almost sure it hadn't.  
  
Something very odd was happening, it seemed the more Christian typed the stranger events became. His eyes found their way back on what he had written. There were already a few pages filled with fresh typing on the right side of the table. There was a strange look to them in comparison with the blank paper. They seemed warmer, brighter and more real. He couldn't explain the difference, it was something he felt. He took a moment to look around his room. There were other objects that had the same special look and feel to them. The bird and the cane seemed out of place in the room, which was dull and almost void of life.  
  
His typewriter seemed the brightest object in the room, and his thoughts seemed to swirl together as he typed. The pain flowed from the deep recesses of his soul and through his hands into his writing. He couldn't stop his fingers from speaking the emotions from the very depth of his soul.  
  
"A play, something very modern called Spectacular Spectacular."  
  
Christian remembered the events as if they were yesterday and he didn't even have to think about it, his writing it just flowed through him. Faster and faster, he wrote about the Bohemians and their ideals of truth, beauty, freedom and love. He wrote about his first trip to the Moulin Rouge and his first glass of absinthe. The memories spun around his head and bombarded his senses. He felt as if he were experiencing them instead of just writing about them.  
  
He was in the middle of the dance floor with the Bohos,  
  
"Well you can bump, grind…"  
  
Seeing Satine for the first time,  
  
"It's her, the Sparkling Diamond."  
  
And sitting mere feet away from the man who threatened to destroy everything,  
  
"The Duke"  
  
Then, at the mention of his name, The Duke himself appeared in Christian's room.  
  
"Ah, it's our very own penniless sitar player."  
  
He stared at Christian with cold smile on his face and Christian couldn't believe his eyes, The Duke couldn't be here. Just as he was about to say something, The Duke turned smartly on his heels and started for the door. "Wait!" Christian called to him, but it was as if he couldn't hear. He reached his destination and turned the knob, but when he opened the door, it led out to the real hallway of his garret in Paris. Christian's eyes went wide as he watched The Duke walk out and close the door behind him. Christian jumped up and raced to the door to follow him. But when he opened it, there was only the familiar white hallway of his prison, lined with the doors leading to the other characters rooms.  
  
Christian backed out of the hallway and closed to door. He couldn't understand what was going on. His mind raced as he sat back down at his typewriter, there seemed to be something happening when he typed. It was changing his room and making things appear out of nowhere. Christian was beginning to feel both scared and excited at the same time. He had no idea what was going on but he felt that he had to keep writing. Somehow, things may be as they were after all.  
  
He instantly began to type again. He now knew what he had to do; he had to finish his book.  
  
"When am I going to meet the girl?"  
  
Christian continued with all the energy in his body. The words flowing out of him and the pages flying by.  
  
He worked feverishly through the night and the following day, unwilling to stop. In the days that followed, he saw more images of his past and his room began to feel more and more like home. He mind never strayed from his task at hand, and he became totally engrossed in the writing.  
  
Finally, one night, after weeks of working, he came to the end. His breath grew short and his hands trembled as he typed the last few words.  
  
"A story about a time, a story about a place, a story about the people, but above all things, a story about love. A love that will live forever. The end."  
  
Christian sat back, not sure of what was going to happen. The last time he wrote those very words, they brought him here, what would they do this time? He looked around, his room almost felt as he remembered, but there was still something missing. Something that tied everything together and made it feel like home. Just then a knock came at the door. Christian didn't know what to make of it, who could it be? He stood up and walked cautiously to the door. He took a deep breath, turned the knob and slowly opened it. What greeted his eyes was the most beautiful site he had ever seen. Instead of the blank white hallway that he expected, it was the corridor of his apartment. He closed his eyes, not sure if it would disappear, but to his delight nothing had changed when he opened them again. To his right was the staircase leading up to Toulouse's apartment and to his left, the stairwell that led to the street. He was about to take a step forward, when he noticed something at his feet. It was a package wrapped in brown paper and twine. He took it inside and examined it by the lamp on the mantle. He turned it over in his hands a few times before he decided to open it. Inside was the object that finally made his room complete. It was a picture of Satine.  
  
He smiled as he placed the picture on the mantle where it used to be. Who could have brought him his picture? Was there someone waiting out there for him?  
  
Christian stepped outside his door and looked around. He had no idea who could have given him back his picture but he wanted to find out. He followed the hallway to the stairs and made his way down them to the street. It was so wonderful to step foot again outside his apartment. Paris was so beautiful at night and Christian missed being able to take midnight strolls down the streets of Montmatre with Satine.  
  
"Satine" he said to himself "how I wish I could hold you again."  
  
He looked up to the Moulin Rouge, which was beautiful again. It had been so long since he had seen it in all its glory and splendor. He had almost forgotten how wonderful it had been. Perhaps whoever gave him that picture was there. Walking through the front doors and out into the garden Christian was almost in tears. It was so beautiful and it reminded him so much of how wonderful his life used to be. He looked up at the elephant, the very place where he broke down the walls Satine had put up around herself, and helped her to learn to fall in love. He noticed something was odd about it though; there was a light on. Who could be up there?  
  
He made his way behind one of the elephant's legs, and took the stairs up to the door of the red room. He pushed it open slowly and stepped in cautiously. "Hello? I-Is anyone here?" No one responded. Christian walked further into the room and shut the door behind him. It had been so long ago that he and Satine had spent their first night together here, but everything was exactly the same. He crossed the room and stood at the heart- shaped window. The view was beautiful and the night was perfect, he even thought he heard singing coming from somewhere.  
  
He did hear singing, and it sounded very familiar but he couldn't make out the words. It seemed to be coming from the top of the elephant. He turned to go up the stairs. The music became louder, he began to sing along as he got closer to the top.  
  
"Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place. Suddenly it moves with such a perfect grace. Suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waste. It all revolves around you."  
  
As the top slowly came into view Christian smiled. Now he knew he would be happy till the end of time.  
  
Satine smiled back and sang softly "Come what may"  
  
  
  
(I don't know about this ending. It sounded great in my head but I couldn't quite put it down in words. I had to finish it, though, because I couldn't think about anything but my stupid fanfic. Ahhh maybe I can improve it later. If you have any suggestions please feel free to leave 'em) 


End file.
